what would you do? stealing...

A while ago a Rubix cube in my classroom just up and disappeared... I teach in a pullout program and have a group of 4th, 5th and 6th graders come into my room once a week. I asked if anyone borrowed it and they all said no. I sort of forgot about it, which was bad of me, but I believed them...

Yesterday I noticed that a Beanie Baby that has been sitting on top of one of our computers for the entire year is not there. I looked behind the computer, on the floor, etc. first before asking them. The group I had yesterday said no again.

What would you do? Truth be told, my classroom door is often open when I'm not in there, so I can't blame my kids entirely, but I think it's odd now that 2 things have gone missing and it's disconcerting to me. My DH said to make light of it and put up "missing" posters around school for the dalmation beanie baby and in my weekly newsletter so parents are aware. I loop with these kids so they'll be back next year. I can't really believe it was one of them, but then again, who knows? since I don't have just 1 class I can't, and would never, punish the whole class until someone confessed...

How would you handle it?

Re: what would you do? stealing...

Hi, I actually had the same thing happen when I was teaching 2nd (but it was w/ my regular kids). I did exactly like your husband said & hung up Lost posters w/ a picture of the stuffed animal that was missing. The kids thought it was hysterical & magically one day the missing dinosaur returned...a child suddenly "found" him in our reading area.

It's a shame this happened & a tough situation to handle. This year I had some things taken from my desk (random things...white out, some sharpies) & for a while a student (not in my class) was coming down to "talk" w/ me most afternoons after my kids were gone. I didn't want to accuse this student outright, but when I mentioned it to that student's teacher, the teacher said she had some things disappear too & was questioning the same student.

I never said anything direct to that student, but the teacher told that student s/he can't be out of that classroom every afternoon (student was asking to use the bathroom every day).